Lebanese militant Georges Abdallah freed after 40 years in French prison
One of France's longest-serving prisoners, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah – a pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant – was released and deported on Friday, after spending more than 40 years behind bars for the killing of two diplomats.
Shortly before dawn, at around 3:40am local time, a convoy of six vehicles with flashing lights was seen leaving the Lannemezan prison, according to journalists on the ground.
Just a few hours later, the 74-year-old reportedly boarded a flight to Lebanon.
Abdallah was originally detained in 1984 and sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in the murders of United States military attaché Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris.
Georges Abdallah: The Lebanese activist France has held for over 40 years
His release was finally authorised by the Paris Court of Appeal, effective from 25 July, on the condition that he leave French territory permanently.
Although he had technically been eligible for release since 1999, previous applications were consistently denied, with the US – a civil party in the case – strongly opposing his release.
In France, life sentences typically result in release after less than 30 years.
Abdallah's lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, visited him on Thursday. 'He seemed in very good spirits about finally being released, though he's fully aware he's returning to a region facing extremely difficult times for both the Lebanese and Palestinian people,' Chalanset told French news agency AFP.
French court orders release of Lebanese militant after four decades in prison
'Committed militant'
The founder of the now-defunct Lebanese Revolutionary Armed Factions (FARL) – a Marxist group once active in anti-Israel operations – Abdallah described himself as a "committed militant".
Following his arrest in 1984, French police uncovered submachine guns and radio equipment in one of his Paris apartments.
However, the appeals court noted in February that FARL had not engaged in any violent acts since 1984, and that Abdallah had become more of a symbolic figure for the Palestinian cause.
The judges also deemed his lengthy imprisonment 'disproportionate' in light of his age and the nature of his crimes.
Abdallah's family plans to welcome him at Beirut airport before travelling to their hometown of Kobayat in northern Lebanon, where a reception has been organised.
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